diff --git a/lessons_for_leaders.rst b/lessons_for_leaders.rst index 09216fd..d99afac 100644 --- a/lessons_for_leaders.rst +++ b/lessons_for_leaders.rst @@ -19,25 +19,25 @@ Acknowledgements ---------------- -Don Stuart, Manager, Radar Alaska - Who taught me that the work isn't done +**Don Stuart**, Manager, Radar Alaska - Who taught me that the work isn't done until you're proud of it. -Zvie Liberman, President, Talk-A-Phone - Who taught me the centrality of +**Zvie Liberman**, President, Talk-A-Phone - Who taught me the centrality of work discipline. -Richard Brander, Director Of Research, Beltone - Who taught me to focus +**Richard Brander**, Director Of Research, Beltone - Who taught me to focus on very hard problems for long periods of time. -David Cornwall, Sr. Architect, United Airlines - Who taught me to integrate +**David Cornwall**, Sr. Architect, United Airlines - Who taught me to integrate technology and business and then lead upward. -Mark Teflian, CTO Nets Inc., President Time0 - Who taught me to be a +**Mark Teflian**, CTO Nets Inc., President Time0 - Who taught me to be a relentless advocate for my people. -Jim Manzi, President Net Inc. - Who taught me that doing well includes +**Jim Manzi**, President Net Inc. - Who taught me that doing well includes doing good. -H. Ross Perot, EDS and Perot Systems - Who taught me that leaders +**H. Ross Perot**, EDS and Perot Systems - Who taught me that leaders begin and end with unimpeachable integrity. @@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ glorified bookkeeping. Yes, it's necessary bookkeeping, but that's all it is. It has been my misfortune to see more than a few "great" managers who were fundamentally lousy leaders. This ends up being -destructive to the organizaton and bad for that manager's professional +destructive to the organization and bad for that manager's professional development. Secondly, title and pecking order do not correlate directly with @@ -222,11 +222,11 @@ Eisenhower invaded Normandy, but if it's not getting traction, it's time to let Reality modify your vision and direction. -You see this all the time in politics. People get elected by clinging -to some party or ideological definition. They get into office and -just cling to that ideology even when it's not remotely working. It's -a kind of leadership arrogance to believe that your ideas are more -powerful than Reality. +You see this all the time in politics. People get elected by +identifying with some party or ideological stance. They get into +office and just cling to that ideology even when it's not remotely +working. It's a kind of leadership arrogance to believe that your +ideas are more powerful than Reality. I have watched more than one organization fail because it's leaders clung to their vision, refused to change direction, and lost entire @@ -253,12 +253,12 @@ the stress of it all. When they do this, that reservoir of trust starts to drain pretty quickly. If the CEO shares some personal matter about one of your peers with you, what confidence do you have -that he won't share your details with someone else? +that he won't share *your* details with someone else? Great leaders are often lost. I once had my boss tell me, "I feel so lost most of the time. All these people depend on me and I often haven't got a clue." That's perfect! It's exactly where you're -supposed to be. Remember that strategic mind? By the very definition +ought to be. Remember that strategic mind? By the very definition of leading to new places, leaders *are* lost. They're supposed to be. Great leaders embrace the fact that they're lost in the woods. In fact, they'll tell you they are not remotely lost. They're just @@ -278,13 +278,13 @@ Great leaders encourage vigorous, constructive confrontation at all levels of the organization. They see themselves as referees ensuring -that these are fair and productive. They intervene when the conflict -becomes personal or otherwise unprofessional. This is not to say that -everyone gets a vote. But confrontation with integrity creates a much -larger marketplace of ideas from which to draw. +that the prcoess is fair and productive. They intervene when the +conflict becomes personal or otherwise unprofessional. This is not to +say that everyone gets a vote. But confrontation with integrity +creates a much larger marketplace of ideas from which to draw. This has another huge benefit. When you watch people in a conflict -of ideas *the next generation of leaders emerges*. Great leaders +of ideas, *the next generation of leaders is showing up*. Great leaders are passionate. "Put me in coach. Give me the ball." When you foster responsible organizational conflict, these people appear naturally because smart, driven people want to be part of the @@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ They are every command and control manager's worst nightmare. A good part of the time, you have no idea what they're actually doing. Like mortar in a wall, there are far fewer of these than bricks and -can be much higher maintenance. +they can be much higher maintenance. Great leaders can identify these kinds of people instinctively. They groom the bricks for more and more execution responsibility. They @@ -323,9 +323,9 @@ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Leadership is fundamentally about getting people to follow you as your -make decisions over incomplete data. You're asking the organization -to take risk with you. Since great leaders have that reservoir of -trust, they get to ask for this and they usually get it. +make decisions over incomplete information. You're asking the +organization to take risk with you. Since great leaders have that +reservoir of trust, they get to ask for this and they usually get it. When the risk pays off, *great leaders shine the light on their people, not themselves.*. "We took a risk, and YOU people made it pay @@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ :: - $Id: lessons_for_leaders.rst,v 1.105 2015/03/06 23:10:34 tundra Exp $ + $Id: lessons_for_leaders.rst,v 1.106 2015/03/06 23:28:35 tundra Exp $ You can find the latest version of this program at: